Devotion to Duty
by The Coffee Guru
Summary: First offering of fan fiction. Mulder and Scully investigate a spiritual evil.


Mulder sat in the chair. The chill in the room matched by the cold, sterile plastic of his seat. White, featureless walls perfectly complimented the dead atmosphere of the room.

He didn't notice.

At this moment only one thing existed in the universe according to Fox Mulder. Her name was Dana Scully. She was brilliant, she was beautiful, and she was dieing.

'So this is what eternity is, the space between her breathes, knowing that the next one may never come.' The thought hurt him, the very idea that he could be philosophical as his world was fell apart. Before too long Mulder's head began to lean forward, his eyes began to slide closed and he fell asleep, the last sight registering was his hand closed over hers. The time on his watch was 12:02 a.m.

Dana's breath slowed, deepening. In……out….in…..out…..then it was gone.

She stood behind Fox, her hands on his shoulders. She could feel the bone aching exhaustion in the man, feel the depth of emotion hidden within the sleeping form. She leaned forward and whispered into his sleeping ear, "I'm so sorry Fox. I tried to fight for you, but I couldn't hang on. I love you, but I need to go." Placing a spectral kiss upon his cheek, Dana turned away from her former partner, ready to begin her walk towards the light. Before she could take her first step she was stopped, surprised by the feel of a hand on her shoulder.

"Starbuck…."

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The world faded to white, then slowly she became aware of herself again. In that moment of awareness she became whole. Slender body, a halo of red hair, yet no sign of the small aches and pains that had been accrued from a life of dangerous, often rigorous work. For a moment she was aware that she was naked, yet in that instant of awareness she found herself clothed. Looking down she could see that she was wearing a white lab coat over a business suit. A stethoscope hung around her neck and a gun on her hip. Clipped to the front pocket of the lab coat was a laminated i.d. card bearing her image. The name read, "Doctor Dana Scully, FBI."

From behind her a small chuckle. "Starbuck, it looks like your still trying to be all things to all people."

At the voice Dana whipped around, drawn to the source. Next to her stood a man dressed in a military uniform, his stern face belied by the presence of a warm smile. "Daddy?" The question was followed by her own answer. "Daddy!" Dana flung her arms around her father. It was as though he had never died, it was as if he had held her in his arms for the last 9 years. "I missed you Ahab," she whispered, overwhelmed at the feeling of pure emotion, divorced from the biochemical precursors normally required.

"I missed you too Starbuck," he answered, holding his daughter close.

"Are you here to lead me on?"

The look of peace on her father's face faltered for a moment. The effect was terrifying in its implication.

"Dana, I know your ready to move on. You had a full life, a worthwhile life. If anyone deserves to go to their eternal reward, it's you."

Even in death, especially in death, Dana knew her father.

"But…"

"Dana, your partner is in trouble." At the mention of Mulder the white out around the pair began to dissolve, with details of the mundane world coming into view. Mulder sat in his chair, asleep. His hand still held hers. Though it already seemed like an eternity had passed, Dana knew as only the dead may that this was still the instant of her death.

"What kind of trouble dad?"

He chose his words carefully, "There is a…. darkness coming. An evil that is unacknowledged by the modern world. It needs to be opposed, or else many will suffer and die."

"Well, there isn't much that Mulder doesn't acknowledge. How is this any different than any other X-File we've worked on?" To her mind, it was a fair question. To his it was indicative of the problem.

"Mulder's openness is the issue here. In his zeal to understand, to open his mind to this evil, he will instead open his soul to it. Dana, this will consume him. The loss of you will only make it easier for this to happen."

"So what do you want me to do? I just died, my body gave out, too ravaged from cancer and other….. violations to go on."

Her father took on a slightly stern expression, that of a captain mentoring a reticent junior officer. "You can go back Dana, we can make that happen. Long enough for you to help Mulder through the up coming storm. "

"And after? If he has to watch me fade away again it will break him!" In spite of the tranquility of her current state, Dana's passion bleed through.

"Don't worry, when the time comes you'll fade away in your sleep, and though he won't understand it in his waking mind, Mulder will know that you have gone to peace. What do you say Dana, will you go back for this? Will you help him?"

Dana looked at her father, really looked at him. Though he looked as he had just before his death, there was also an overlay of images. She could see him as he appeared at her 5th birthday party, her high school graduation, when she was accepted into medical school. Every face was loving, every face was his. "I want to help, but I don't want to leave you, I just got here…"

Scully's father took her into his arms again, stroking her hair. "Don't worry Starbuck, when you come back to me it will be like you just closed your eyes and opened them again. I'll be here for you."

Scully looked into her father's eyes and felt his love as a tangible presence. "Ok Ahab, I'll do it."

Smiling down at his daughter, he smiled and said, "I knew you would. Now close your eyes and Doctor Scully….. heal thyself."

In the hospital room Dana breathed out….. and back in. The time on Mulder's watch read 12:03 a.m.


End file.
